What are the hidden cost of lobbyist? Last count we were up to 42,000 paid lobbyist in Washington for 545 paid politicians. That's gang rape.

If you've ever bought prescription drugs you were over charged. And not by a few cents but billions of dollars. Here's how...

LIE: The Bush administration is fighting importation of cheaper prescription drugs from Canada by claiming they are unsafe and thereby protecting pharmaceutical companies who have given over $74 billion (or $2,033 per hour) since 2000.

- Advertisement -

FACT: HHS and FDA officials cannot identify a single American injured as a result drugs purchased from licensed Canadian pharmacies. One of the nation’s leading health experts stated the administration’s argument was “hogwash” since “drugs purchased through the Canadian health care system are every bit as safe as those available in the United States .” (Daily Mis-Lead 02.25.04)LIE: I haven't yet [decided to ban importation of Canadian drugs.]. I just want to make sure they're safe. When a drug comes in from Canada , I want to make sure it cures you and doesn't kill you.

FACT: White House Strongly Opposed Drug Re-Importation Despite Congressional Research Service ReportsConcluding Canadian Drugs Are Just as Safe as Those in the US . . In a Statement of Administration Principals issued by the White House Office of Management and Budget on July 23, 2003, Bush stated his strong opposition to drug re-importation. The SAP states, “H.R. 2427 [to allow the re-importation of prescription drugs] is dangerous legislation. It would expose Americans to greater potential risk of harm from unsafe or ineffective drugs, would be extremely costly to implement, and would overwhelm FDA's already heavily burdened regulatory system.” This despite the fact that the Congressional Research Service, a branch of the Library of Congress, issued reports in 2001 and 2003, concluding both times that the Canadian drug supply was safe for importation to the US.

The 2003 report stated, "The statutory requirements for approving and marketing pharmaceutical products in the United States and Canada are, in general, quite similar." It found that medications manufactured and distributed in Canada meet or surpass quality control guidelines set by the FDA. [Office of Management and Budget, SAP on HR 2472, 7/23/03, www.whitehouse.gov/omb; New York Times, 6/21/03; Knight Ridder, 11/27/03; USA Today, 8/12/03]LIE: “My drug plan helps those who need it most. The new benefit provides comprehensive drug coverage for people with low incomes.”FACT: The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities found that “several million of the nation’s poorest elderly and disabled beneficiaries will be made worse off by the new legislation, because they will have to pay more for drugs than they currently pay under Medicaid, will be denied coverage for some drugs they currently receive through Medicaid, or both.” The $600 "transitional" drug benefit that starts in June is not available to the 6.4 million lowest income Medicare beneficiaries who are also enrolled in Medicaid, nor to the 11.7 million seniors who have retiree coverage.

It does not matter if we vote. We have seen Congress change power 3 times since 2000. Each time we were promised solutions to the health care crisis, social security crisis, taxation, inflation and the deficit.

In fact these were the same problems we spoke about in the 1960’s. They are still not fixed. WHY? Because the special interest, lobbyist and corporations have a strangle hold on our career politicians. The special interest, lobbyist, and corporations do not care which party is in power because there are enough career politicians in both parties willing to take their money and perks to look the other way.

- Advertisement -

The "elected" government does NOT represent us, and they are already not doing anything with the job we've "elected" them to except collect their big fat paycheck and thumb their noses at we the real people! I'm tired of hearing from these self-proclaimed "gifted, selfless" individuals that they would be making so much more money if they weren't "representing" us.

You know what that bunch of ivy-league legacy frat boys in Washington really is? They're the exact same TV show as the World Wrestling Federation, with the cartoonish characters, the false bluster, and the staged animosities and skirmishes. It's all for show and none of it is in the slightest bit real.

Whether you call it the world financial structure, the U.S. culture of waste, or the ability of the common man to make a decent living, the system is broken. It's time for the common man to go on strike. Join or support the March on Washingon (more...)

"We need a more Open digital world -- that's good for business, the economy and the future of humanity. To get there is going to take "bottom-up" effort and Rob Kall's book is an exciting roadmap for how that can happen."

Rufus Pollock, author of "The Open Revolution", Founder of Open Knowledge, and formerly Mead Fellow in Economics at the University of Cambridge

Author Mark Taliano combines years of research with on-the-ground observations to present an informed and well-documented analysis that refutes the mainstream media narrative.